District golds for OJR’s Niness, Upper Perk’s Fresa

DAY 1

PHILADELPHIA >> Owen J. Roberts’ Mikayla Niness enjoyed her upward climb on the medal stand — from fifth place a year ago to gold medalist in the 50yard freestyle.

“It’s something,” she said with a wide smile, down on the deck of La Salle University’s Kirk Pool. “Everyone is cheering for you and it’s so great. I know like half the people here so I just love being with them and swimming with them. It’s fun.”

The junior touched in 23.37 seconds, besting the field in Class 3A. She helped the Wildcats to ninth in the team scoring (60) on Day One of the District One Swim Championships at La Salle.

“It’s fun. I just love the event. It’s so exciting — the atmosphere. That’s why I like to swim it,” Niness said.

Niness, who outraced North Penn’s Caroline Dunigan for top honors in the 50, began her day with a medal in the 200 medley relay, joining Lauren Zelinske, Lilia Crew and Abbey Malmstrom for eighth place.

“I was just looking to have fun and see what happens. That’s just my mindset,” she said of her approach to Day One. “I have to do that or else it’s gonna be the opposite way of what I want it to be.”

Niness’ time in the 50 free was her career best.

“I think it sets me up pretty good (for states).” she said. “I don’t really know how well the state is doing all around but I’m just excited to go and swim fast, have some fun.”

Also from the area, Phoenixville’s Erini Pappas medaled in the 100 fly, racing to a 57.15 to notch seventh, and Boyertown’s Gabrielle McKee placed eighth in the 200 IM with a 2:07.98.

Later in the day, Periomen Valley’s Ryan Keenan and Jacob Replogle placed sixth and seventh in the 200 free.

District One Championships

Girls Class 2A Team scores (through Saturday) 1. Villa Maria, 242; 2. Gwynedd Mercy, 181; 3. Springfield (M), 166; 4. Nazareth Academy, 144; 5. Upper Perkiomen, 125; 6. Villa Joseph Marie, 118; 7. Lower Moreland, 83; 8. Pottsgrove, 73; 9. Upper Moreland, 62; 10. Merion Mercy, 36. Event results 200-yard medley relay: 1. Gwynedd Mercy (Annie O’Dare, Aileen Murray, Isabella Kellner, Ella Gross), 1:48.05; 2. Villa Maria, 1:50.36; 3. Nazareth Academy, 1:50.43; 4. Villa Joseph Marie, 1:54.08; 5. Springfield (M), 1:58.37; 6. Lower Moreland, 1:59.69; 7. Pottsgrove, 2:01.50; 8. Upper Perkiomen, 2:02.29; 144; 5. Upper Perkiomen, 125; 6. Villa Joseph Marie, 118; 7. Lower Moreland, 83; 8. Pottsgrove, 73; 9. Upper Moreland, 62; 10. Merion Mercy, 36. 200 freestyle: 1. Noel Fresca (Upper Perkiomen), 1:52.14; 2. Kayla Lichtner (Nazareth Academy), 1:53.44; 3. Gross (Gwynedd Mercy), 1:54.41; 4. Hannah King (Villa Maria), 1:58.85; 5. Caitlin Hamill (Villa Maria), 1:58.91; 6. Trinity Schmidt (Springfield M), 1:59.60; 7. Megan Iannacone (Villa Joseph Marie), 1:59.89; 8. Alexa Turco (Villa Maria), 2:00.00; 200 individual medley: 1. O’Dare (Gwynedd Mercy), 2:08.08; 2. Caitlin Whalen (Villa Joseph Marie), 2:11.75; 3. Madeline Ladd (Villa Maria), 2:13.79; 4. Murray (Gwynedd Mercy), 2:14.70; 5. Kellner (Gwynedd Mercy), 2:17.06; 6. Gabriele Celona (Nazareth Academy), 2:18.88; 7. Katie Regan (Villa Maria), 2:20.66; 8. Alaina Christ (Pottsgrove), 2:21.24; 50 freestyle: 1. Scottie McKeaney (Delaware County Christian), 24.33; 2. Sabina Hartman (Villa Joseph Marie), 25.17; 3. Devin Romanowski (Upper Perkiomen), 25.29; 4. Madeline Doucette (Nazareth Academy), 25.58; 5. Sarah Potocki (Springfield M), 25.61; 6. Madison Modugno (Upper Perkiomen), 25.74; 7. Sydney Schwanbeck (Pottsgrove), 25.85; 8. Maddie George (Villa Maria), 25.94; 100 butterfly: 1. Maura Fluehr (Springfield M), 56.08; 2. Gross (Gwynedd Mercy), 57.43; 3. Madyson McSorley (Nazareth Academy), 57.78; 4. Cailtin Whalen (Villa Joseph Marie), 58.35; 5. Megan Cassidy (Villa Maria), 59.08; 6. Kellner (Gwynedd Mercy), 1:00.31; 7. Stephanie Curtis (New Hope-Solebury), 1:00.37; 8. Nicole Sasso (Gwynedd Mercy), 1:00.90; 200 freestyle relay: 1. Lower Moreland (Sam Becker, Melanie Hwan, Emily Vaidyan, Grace Dudek), 53.21; 2. Merion Mercy, 54.20; 3. Upper Moreland, 53.98; 4. Pottsgrove, 55.09; 5. Upper Perkiomen, 1:38.84; 6. Nazareth Academy, 1:41.10; 7. Springfield M, 1:41.40; 8. Villa Maria, 1:41.72. Class 3A Team scores (through Saturday) 1. North Penn, 222; 2. Upper Dublin, 144; 3. Council Rock North, 117.5; 4. Downingtown East, 91; 5. Avon Grove, 90; 6. Conestoga, 79; 7. (tie) Garnet Valley and West Chester Henderson, 63.5; 9. (tie) Unionville and Owen J. Roberts, 60. Event results 200-yard medley relay: 1. Upper Dublin (Meghan DiMartile, Aly Breslin, Molly Braun, Abbie Amdor, 1:42.80 (meet record, previous record 1:44.19 by North Penn, Megan Zartman, Haley Muth, Claudia Thamm, Rosalinda Rivera; pool record, previous record 1:43.38 by Peddie School, A. Fittin, J. Lee, X. Zhao, A. Miller, Feb. 23, 2007) 1:42.80; 2. Council Rock North, 1:43.79; 3. North Penn, 1:45.31; 4. Conestoga, 1:45.83; 5. Unionville, 1:46.32; Downingtown East, 1:46.80; 7. Avon Grove, 1:47.21; 8. Owen J. Roberts, 1:47.31; 200 freestyle: 1. Amdor (Upper Dublin), 1:48.14; 2. Braun (Upper Dublin), 1:49.67; 3. Camryn Carter (Unionville), 1:50.35; 4. Sarah Manthorp (Downingtown West), 1:51.19; 5. Anna Kalandadze (Lower Merion), 1:51.49; 6. Izzy Paoletti (Avon Grove), 1:51.68; 7. Carly Zlotnikoff (Wissahickon), 1:51.72; 8. Keely Durkin (Sun Valley), 1:53.38; 200 individual medley: 1. Claudia Thamm (North Penn), 2:01.47; 2. Heather MacCausland (Downingtown East), 2:09.97; 3. Ally Breslin (Upper Dublin), 2:04.02; 4. Abby Henderson (Council Rock North), 2:05.14; 5. Rabea Pfaff (Avon Grove), 2:06.54; 6. Sydney McCracken (Kennett), 2:07.11; 7. Haley Scholer (Central Bucks South), 2:07.47; 8. Gabrielle McKee (Boyertown), 2:07.98; 50 freestyle: 1. Mikayla Niness (Owen J. Roberts), 23.37; 2. Caroline Dunigan (North Penn), 23.50; 3. Noelle DiClemente (Garnet Valley), 23.63; 4. Caroline Maki (Downingtown East), 23.88; 5. Jacqueline Rounsavill (Council Rock North), 23.91; 6. Claire Walsh (Penncrest), 23. 96; 7. Sophia Poeta (Conestoga), 24.00; 8. Olivia Miller (Unionville), 24.14; 100 butterfly: 1. Thamm (North Penn), 55.13; 2. Catherine Weaverling (Garnet Valley), 55.70; 3. Mac Sullivan (Garnet Valley), 55.80; 4. Braun (Upper Dublin), 56.14; 5. Ellie Brandbergh (Council Rock North), 56.15; 6. Casey Cullen (Radnor), 56.36; 7. Erini Pappas (Phoenixville), 57.15; 8. Sydney Paglia (Avon Grove), 57.48; 200 freestyle relay: 1. North Penn (Dunigan, Nicole Chiappa, Parker Schulz, Kaelyn Daly), 1:35.26; 2. Council Rock North, 1:35.44; 3. Upper Dublin, 1:35.89; 4. Downingtown East, 1:36.91; 5. Avon Grove, 1:36.95; 6. Garnet Valley, 1:37.05; 7. West Chester Henderson, 1:37.42; 8. Conestoga, 1:37.48. Boys Class 2A Team scores (through Saturday) 1. Lower Moreland, 254; 2. Springfield (M), 198; 3. Holy Ghost Prep, 171; 4. Upper Moreland, 162; 5. Bishop Shanahan, 124; 6. Pope John Paul II, 13; 7. Valley Forge Military Academy, 6. Event results 200-yard medley relay: 1. Lower Moreland (Noah Ferker, Alex Yoon, Greg Landis, Jaden Feldman), 1:38.42; 2. Springfield (M), 1:40.96; 3. Holy Ghost Prep, 1:41.02; 4. Upper Moreland, 2:03.19; 200 freestyle: 1. Jack Fidanza (Bishop Shanahan, 1:46.40); 2. Fred Li (Holy Ghost Prep), 1:46.68; 3. Mark Klinchin (Lower Moreland), 1:46.74; 4. Jake Hennigan (Springfield M), 1:47.24; 5. Michael Goldenberg (Lower Moreland), 1:59.12; 6. Liam Cannon (Springfield M), 2:01.60; 7. David Imredy (Springfield M), 2:02.47; 8. Nicholas Polidoro (Holy Ghost Prep), 2:02.82; 200 individual medley: 1. Yoon (Lower Moreland), 1:57.49; 2. Andrew Iannacone (Holy Ghost Prep), 1:59.16; 3. Ferker (Lower Moreland), 2:00.87; 4. Landis (Lower Moreland), 2:04.03; 5. Mike Soroka (Upper Moreland, 2:12.60); 6. Blake Stoudt (Springfield M), 2:14.67; 7. Teddy Baughan (Springfield M), 2:18.69; 8. Liam Farrell (Holy Ghost Prep), 2:19.72; 50 freestyle: 1. John Devaney (New Hope-Solebury), 21.78; 2. Ethan Ford (Springfield M), 22.02; 3. Colin Shipp (Lower Moreland), 22.39; 4. Feldman (Lower Moreland), 22.81; 5. Dan Amusin (Lower Moreland), 22.96; 6. Brent Hennegan (Springfield M), 23.27; 7. Patrick Taylor (Bishop Shanahan), 23.57; 8. Nate Fraser (Bishop Shanahan), 24.04; 100 butterfly: 1. Tommy Lutter (Lower Moreland), 5.40; 2. Landis (Lower Moreland), 54.27; 3. Li (Holy Ghost Prep), 54.38; 4. Nicholas Scott (Bishop Shanahan), 55.14; 5. Ben Gendron (Springfield M), 56.07; 6. Matt Wojcik (Upper Moreland), 57.42; 7. Soroka (Upper Moreland), 57.73; 8. Sam Shtrambrand (Lower Moreland), 59.79; 200 freestyle relay: 1. Lower Moreland (Shipp, Yoon, Feldman, Lutter), 1:28.38; 2. Springfield (M), 1:29.16; 3. Bishop Shanahan, 1:31.11; 4. Holy Ghost Prep, 1:33.01; 5. Upper Moreland, 1:41.90. Class 3A Team scores (through Saturday) 1. North Penn, 207; 2. Upper Dublin, 117; 3. Council Rock North, 105.5; 4. (tie) Plymouth Whitemarsh and Conestoga, 88; 6. Radnor, 73.5; 7. Downingtown East, 64; 8. Souderton, 59. Event results 200-yard medley relay: 1. North Penn (Sean Faikish, Nick Clark, Evan Mancini, Tyler Hall), 1:32.90 (meet record previous record 1:33.12 by North Penn, Ryan Hartmann, Sean Faikish, Noah Jamieson, Ryley Fein, March 3, 2018); 2. Upper Dublin, 1:32.99; 3. Council Rock North, 1:34.71; 4. Haverford, 1:34.89; 5. Downingtown East, 1:35.17; 6. Plymouth Whitemarsh, 1:35.60; 7. Council Rock South, 1:36.43; 8. Souderton, 1:36.81; 200 freestyle: 1. Ryley Fein (North Penn), 1:39.64; 2. Max Bachman (North Penn), 1:41.54; 3. Matt Bonnell (Abington), 1:41.73; 4. Kyle Pro (Upper Dublin), 1:42.20; 5. Jake Kramer (Souderton), 1:42.84; 6. Ryan Keenan (Perkiomen Valley), 1:44.08; 7. Jacob Replogle (Perkiomen Valley), 1:44.78; 8. Will Resweber (Strath Haven), 1:44.94; 200 individual medley: 1. Sean Faikish (North Penn), 1:48.12 (meet record, previous record 1:48.21 by Michael Thomas, Feb. 28, 2014); 2. Dominic Edwards (Council Rock North), 1:52.44; 3. Evan Mancini (North Penn), 1:53.97; 4. Eric Degodny (North Penn), 1:54.62; 5. Jake DiMartile (Upper Dublin), 1:54.74; 6. Erik Huuki (Central Bucks East), 1:54.79; 7. Gary Wang (Conestoga), 1:55.38; 8. Tom Khayt (Central Bucks South), 1:55.54; 50 freestyle: 1. Patrick Cullen (Radnor), 20.73; 2. Michael Fazio (Oxford), 20.95; 3. Caleb Kelly (Plymouth Whitemarsh), 21.13; 4. Hall (North Penn), 21.27; 5. Blake Eshelman (Council Rock North), 21.33; 6. (tie) Aaron Tupper (Avon Grove) and Aiden McNally (Upper Merion), 21.37; 8. Luke Emig (HatboroHorsham), 21.46; 100 butterfly: 1. Brendan Burns (Conestoga), 47.21 (meet record, previous record 47.98 by Burns, March 3, 2018); 2. Matthew Jensen (Upper Dublin), 49.20; 3. Nick Fiddler (Plymouth Whitemarsh), 50.82; 4. Nick Mlodzienski (Radnor), 51.39; 5. Michael Lemishko (Upper Merion), 51.61; 6. Christopher Snyder (Harriton), 51.67; 7. JP Perucki (West Chester Henderson), 51.71; 8. T.J. Yaglenski (Souderton), 51.75; 200 freestyle relay: 1. North Penn (Luke Schwar, Hall, Mancini, Fein), 1:24.60; 2. Radnor, 1:25.34; 3. Conestoga, 1:25.88; 4. Hatboro-Horsham, 1:26.34; 5. Plymouth Whitemarsh, 1:27.22; 6. Council Rock South, 1:27.35; 7. Downingtown East, 1:27.92; 8. West Chester East, 1:28.00.